Lodge and Beaver Lakes

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Our Hiking Time: 2h 30m
Total Ascent: 800ft (450ft in; 350ft out)
Highest Point: 3500ft
Total Distance: 4 miles
Location: N 47° 24.5400, W 121° 25.8600
Required Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
Difficulty: Easy

Now that the snow had begun to loosen its grip on the trails in and around Snoqualmie Pass, we were on the lookout for an opportunity to do a short hike to a destination that for years played a leading role in the recreational history of the Pass. So, despite the gloominess of the day we packed up and headed out for a pilgrimage to historic Lodge Lake.


The route follows a section of the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650 mile trail from Canada to Mexico that was only fully completed in the early 1990s after decades of effort to connect the Washington Cascade Crest Trail to other extensive trail networks in Oregon and California. The section was first blazed by the Mountaineers in 1919 for alternative access to the club lodge that gave the lake its name. Mountaineers would take the train from Seattle to the Rockdale station and then make the mile and a half trek to the volunteer-built lodge for weekends of snowy outdoor excursions, snowshoeing the nearby peaks, and late night dances to the windup Victrola.

The original 1914 Lodge was lost in a fire in 1944. Volunteers rebuilt the structure in 1948, and it stood until another fire burned it to the ground in 2006. Today there is no longer a lodge at Lodge Lake, though the Mountaineers still own some 77 acres of land around the lake and continue to discuss the possibility of re-establishing this lost icon.

From the trailhead, the gentle trail quickly jaunts through a stretch of young firs before depositing you in The Summit ski area. Wander through the now-green ski slopes, under the silent ski lifts and over the small rivulets bringing the last of the spring runoff down the mountainside. Beyond the lifts the trail alternates between being a path and a streambed as it enters an increasingly pristine forest of cedar and fir. At just shy of a mile the trail arrives at Beaver Lake and hugs its shores before starting a gradual descent down to Lodge Lake. Through the trees you will catch brief glimpses of the water as the trail winds down toward the far end of the Lodge Lake where a signed spur trail will take you to the lakeshore.

This is fantastic hike for all ages, especially in the spring and summer when The Summit can be experienced without the familiar snowy backdrop. The short trek through meadows and forests covers a wide variety of terrain in a very short distance, and for the more adventurous there are plenty of destinations beyond Lodge Lake to satisfy the need for a longer hike.

To get there, take Exit 53 off I-90 into The Summit ski area. Turn right into the gravel parking areas and head toward the back of the lot. You’ll find the signed trailhead where the gravel ends. - Nathan

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Hall Point - Change Creek Trail

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Our Hiking Time: 3h
Total Ascent: 1350ft
Highest Point: 2560ft
Total Distance: 2.5 miles
Location: N 47° 25.7940, W 121° 39.9640
Required Permit: Discover Pass
Difficulty: Hard

The Change Creek Trail is an unofficial hike off the Iron Horse Trail. Volunteer built, the trail is an alternative approach to Mt. Washington up the Change Creek Valley, that offers excellent views and minimizes hiking time on logging roads on Mt. Washington Trail.

The Change Creek Trail branches off the Iron Horse Trail just above Olallie State Park near the Deception Crags climbing walls. Since being publicized in 1994, Deception Crags has become extremely popular, bringing hundreds of rock climbers to the walls every year. Like many of the other scramble routes in the area, the Change Creek Trail seems to have hacked out of the underbrush with an eye for expedience and utility without much in the way of deference to officialdom. The trail has been a work in progress since at least 2006, if not earlier. Trail building efforts have been led by local hikers through various hiking forums. We assume they are also behind small signs posted along the trail, marking such destinations as “Whitebark’s Bivouac” and “Raven’s Roost.”

The roughly hewn trail begins between the trestle bridges that span Change Creek and Hall Creek. It can be a bit tricky to spot, start looking for it as soon as you cross the bridge. A few feet up the trail a sign reading “Change Creek Trail” will confirm you’re on the right path. The first mile or so is on the steep side, and loose rock and soil is the norm as you switchback up the initial sections of narrow trail. As the forest and underbrush begin to thin, glimpses of Hall Creek Falls and I-90 give a taste of views to come. Eventually you’ll attain the ridgeline, and get a peek down at Change Creek before continuing up to Hall Point for some big views of the valleys below. To the west lies Mt. Teneriffe and Green Mountain, to the north Mailbox Peak anchors a ridgeline that flows east over Dirty Harry’s Peak and Putrid Pete’s Peak toward Snoqualmie Pass.

This route is a more challenging and engaging approach to Mt. Washington, and one that you can expect some solitude on. The trail also runs past a few opportunities to scramble out to rocky outcroppings and excellent views. Hall Point was a perfect place to settle down for a snack after slogging up the rough switchbacks of the early sections of the trail. Although still going through growing pains that should subside with more boot traffic, the trail is able to very quickly deliver big views, making it rewarding for even the most causal of hiker.

To get there, take Exit 38 off I-90 and take a right. Follow the remnants of old US 10 for about a mile to a widening in the road opposite Change Creek. More than likely other cars will also be parked here. Park and cross the road to find a short path leading up to the Iron Horse Trail. Head left over the bridge for a few hundred yards to find the fledgling trail beginning behind a section of fence. - Nathan

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Granite Mountain

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Our Hiking Time: 6h 40m
Total Ascent: 3700ft
Highest Point: 5629ft
Total Distance: 8.6 miles
Location: N 47° 25.0260, W 121° 28.8720
Required Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
Difficulty: Hard

A gorgeous cloudless day begs for a climb up the side of a mountain that can deliver views measured in miles and landscapes vast enough to stretch beyond description. Luckily, we knew exactly the hike to live up to the expectations of the day. And so, since the snow had melted out sufficiently to allow easier access to the summit, we paid a visit to our old friend Granite Mountain.


At 5,629’, Granite Mountain is one of the most easily accessible and therefore one of the more popular summits in the Snoqualmie Pass region. The summit is graced with an operational fire lookout staffed by the Forest Service during the summer months. First established in 1920, the lookout began as a flimsy cabin that was rebuilt and elevated in 1924. When the snow melts, the cement foundations of the 1924 cabin can still be seen near the current lookout tower, which was built in 1955.

The hike begins on the Pratt Lake Trail #1007, rolling through lush forests of cedar and Douglas fir, frequently passing over creeks and streamlets. After about a mile the route meets the Granite Mountain Trail #1016 and the tenor of the trail shifts from an uphill amble to a thigh-burning workout. Navigate the rocky trail as it switchbacks through the increasingly dry terrain and catch the occasional glimpse of your eventual goal high overhead. As you gain elevation, trees thin and become more diminutive while ferns yield ground to bear grass and mountain blueberry. Eventually the trees are entirely left behind, the views are laid bare, breezes keep the bugs at bay during the summer months, and the trail grade relents slightly as the fire lookout comes into view. While snow is on the ground, a ridge route straight to the summit avoids most avalanche danger. As the snow recedes, the rocky ridge is less appealing than the formal trail route that snakes beneath the ridge before zigzagging up the bluff the lookout resides upon.

The views that begin hundreds of feet below culminate as you attain the lookout, snowy mountaintops spreading out with a mesmerizing immensity. Mt. Rainier dominates the skyline, in every way demanding attention and dwarfing Mt. Catherine and Humpback Mountain just across I-90 far below. If you can tear your eyes off Rainier, the beginnings of Keechelus Lake can be seen to the east, and Bandera Mountain quietly neighbors to the west. Looking north, the eye is drawn to the distinctive Kaleetan Peak, as well as Chair Peak and Mt. Stuart, while just below Crystal Lake and Upper Tuscohatchie Lake gleam invitingly in the sunlight.

This hike can be challenging. In summer months the sun beats down on exposed rocks and meadows, making the trail dusty without much relief in the form of extra water. Avalanches have taken the lives of hikers on Granite, so take extra caution during the spring. The trail is almost exclusively an uphill battle, so prepare for a long day. If necessary, take that extra break to fuel up for the final push – the views from the top are more than rewarding and well worth your perseverance. Of course, when there’s snow, getting down the mountain is quick and a lot of fun.



To get there, take I-90 to Exit 47, cross the freeway and take a left. Continue for a short distance to find parking and the trailhead. Don’t forget to put out your Northwest Forest Pass before heading up. - Nathan